Hard to Drive Nails

The construction industry has undergone remarkable transformations over the years. Advancements in construction software have revolutionized the industry, significantly reducing the time required for tasks that once took days or even weeks to mere minutes or a few hours. This technological revolution has not only freed up time for owners and employees but also enabled companies to take on more projects.

However, certain aspects of construction remain largely unchanged or have experienced minimal changes. Let’s consider nails as an example. In today’s construction landscape, laborers primarily use pneumatic nail guns to complete their tasks.  Nail guns have revolutionized the process, making it easier and expediting completion times. Pneumatic nail guns offer various settings for nail depth and allow users to adjust the rate of fire by simply exchanging triggers and air pressure. Many nail guns can drive a nail per second, or even more per second.

Prior to nail guns, nails were driven by hammers. A skilled framer could consistently countersink a 3-inch (3”) common nail with one quick set strike and with an additional two strikes, but this process involved 3-5 seconds for each nail. Nail guns have improved efficiency.

My tip for this post comes from the trim nail category. Many of the dying secrets of the trade are not being passed down to aspiring builders. Many trade “secrets” I learned from my dad and my uncles. Here’s one of those secrets, thanks to my dad and a relative I worked with on several jobs.

In the early 1980s, we were working on a gym renovation behind the Kinston Mall.  This was a weight lifting and exercise gym.  The gym owners were brothers, and one of them, Mike, gave me a free gym membership for about three months as part of our work there. I was a young teenager. My dad, my relative Vernon, and I were installing doors and casings in the gym. We were hand-driving #8 finishing nails, and I remember seeing my dad and Vernon pull nails out of their nail bags and run the nail through their hair.

Dad explained to me that driving dry nails into hard wood creates a certain amount of friction. This friction often causes nails to bend while being driven. To prevent this, my dad, Vernon, and I would use our index fingers and thumbs to hold the nail head end and wipe the nail through our hair, just above the ear. This would introduce enough sweat and oil onto the nail, allowing it to be driven without bending. It’s a good old-fashioned trick that can make your task a little easier.

So, when you’re hand-driving a nail, especially a small trim nail, consider safely and gently running it through your hair. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, spitting on it might make your task a bit simpler.  Both methods work and is a useful trick which can prevent damage to window and door casings when a bent nail has to be removed from trims and casings.

Always remember to use PPE and use care and caution when using power tools and hammers and nails.